5 Steps to Live Without Heartache and Sorrow

23 Apr

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Reblogged April 23, 2022

April 15, 2022

What was I thinking? While friends at church stuffed Easter eggs with candy, I had stuffed sorrow in my heart.

The loss of my youngest son had me living in the Friday of heartache. The day of darkness. The time similar to the Friday when Jesus was put on the cross, endured horrific pain and shed His blood.

But then something happened, something changed. Something surged, miraculously and supernaturally. Jesus didn’t stay on the cross; He rose in full glory, full triumph displaying sweet victory.

So, crazy gal that I am, why would I dismiss this victory and stay on the Friday of pain?

Jesus washed all the grief with the blood He shed on that cross. He cursed sorrow, rebuked pain and declared it all finished.

That’s why our self-pity and heartache have to also finish. It ends.  And thus, we welcome the freedom to begin relishing in his glorious victory.

Time to celebrate.

The resurrection of hope has arrived. And with the rebirth of new joy, comes a new beginning—our own, personal Easter Sunday.

We then put on the new outfit of healing, of freedom and renewed gusto. We get busy creating a new joy-filled life.

Never looking back, we focus on the road ahead, to the message our life would give and to the legacy we leave behind.

When the day comes and our chair is empty at the dinner table, what will our family say about our life? While they scoop up a second helping of mashed potatoes or more slices of ham, will they remember the way we dreaded our Calvary or will they recall how we lived our Easters?

How about you?

Have you reached your own Easter of triumph for others to see? Whether we display sorrow or serenity, we’re subtly creating a legacy, weaving memories and painting strokes on our own portrait. The one our family will hang on the wall of their hearts.

And for the Easters to come, the portrait will showcase the life we lived, the values we held and the conviction that danced in our heart when we answered these questions:

  1. Did we sink under the weight of our cross?
  2. Did we keep moving with the strength of hope?
  3. Did we relish on our own Easter of joy?
  4. Did we choose to see life beyond circumstances?
  5. Did we look for tomorrow with passion, or did we sink into today’s trials?

No matter what the answer, there is no cross of pain that can hold us down. No suffering that can keep us back because Jesus is alive, declaring He overcame all.

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

Let’s Pray

Father, I thank you for the triumph. And I pray your everlasting love nourishes my desires, goals and dreams. I ask for wisdom to leave a legacy that honors you, resonates with my children’s children, and reflects my obedience to your precepts. In Jesus’ name, amen.

What legacy is your life preparing today?

Janet

______________________________________

I invite you to dance with me—celebrating one of my books, “Contagious Courage: A 30-Day Journey to Overcoming Stress and Anxiety.” Get your copy HERE and tell your friends, too.

Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE.

CLICK HERE for a one-minute inspirational video.

Looking for a speaker for your upcoming event? A great speaker makes the difference between a so-so event and one that shines with impact. I invite you to view one of my two-minute videos HERE.

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An Opportunity for You

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With immense gratitude, JC Empowerment Ministries welcomes your tax-deductible donations.

One click will take you to the place for your gift. You can GIVE HERE.

Janet Eckles Perez

Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR

Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.

www.janetperezeckles.com

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Our Trip to Spain-Part 6

20 Apr

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Day 6

Today was the first day of our optional two-day overnight trip to Morocco and Tangiers.  After a good night’s rest, and a great breakfast at the Bajondillo, we boarded the bus for our trip to Gibraltar.  It seems that the bus ride must have been coordinated with the ferry schedule, as we had time for a quick bus tour around the Rock of Gibraltar, which is a 1400-foot-high limestone monolith, and is famous the world over.  This gave our Program Director a chance to describe some of the local points of interest while we watched the ever-present, and mischievous, Barbary Macaque monkeys torment the tourists as we passed by them.   By then it was time to board the ferry for Morocco.  

Photo Credit: https://www.euractiv.com/spain/gibraltar/

It was a beautiful day for the ferry ride, and we enjoyed the 1½ hour trip across the Mediterranean.  I was surprised to learn that Gibraltar and North Africa are only 9-miles apart at the Strait of Gibraltar.  It was on this ferry trip that we got our first glimpse of how the 9/11/01 terror attack, on the World Trade Center, had affected many of the people around the world.  We were surprised when a Muslim family came up to us and said, “We are very sorry about that terrible thing that happened in America.”  We could tell that they were truly sorry about what had happened and wanted us to know that it wasn’t the way of all Muslims.  We were very appreciative of their sympathy with the U.S.

Photo Credit: https://travel.davidmbyrne.com/morocco-spain-ferry/

When we docked in Africa, our group boarded a bus for the short trip to Tangier.  Our Program Director pointed out several points of interest along the way.  He informed us that he had arranged for a local guide to help him escort us on our walking tour of the city and the local bazaar.  He made it especially clear, that for our safety during our entire tour of the city, we should listen closely to him and our local tour guide for instructions, and for all of us to stay together.  

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

When we arrived in Tangier, Our Program Director introduced us to the local tour guide, and told us that he spoke fluent English (although with a British accent), and that he would be able to answer any questions we might have during our tour of the city and its many points of interest we would be visiting. He also informed us of the informal itinerary for the day, which would include a trip thru the local bazaar, a stop at a one of the more popular carpet shops, and other shops, as we strolled thru the crowded streets of Tangier.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

Our first adventure (and what an adventure that was) was a tour thru the local bazaar (souk).  As we strolled thru the open market, we were surrounded by an amazing verity of foods; including all kinds of exotic fruits, vegetables, spices, oils, and an amazing display of every kind of fresh fish and meats imaginable.  What an outstanding experience that was.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

Next was a leisurely stroll thru some of the streets of Tangier, where we saw a small privately owned pottery shop that displayed some of their beautifully created original plate ware outside.  I thought it was a very smart idea the owner had come up with, to place his/her samples on the inside of the entry doors so they were displayed when the doors were opened out.

Photo Credit: DiVoran Lites

—–To Be Continued—–

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 64 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing.  He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville.  Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.

One of Bill’s favorite Scriptures is:  John 10:10

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The Blues

18 Apr

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Photo credit:Pixabay

Something has to get me going

Nothing makes me want to work.

Not the thought of books or reading

Oh, I feel like such a jerk.

Stop

No matter what may come your way.

You’re always better off than “they.”

Hear a mockingbird sing his song.

And bright red cardinals sing along.

You know what should be done

Take the love of everyone.

Take the cold along with hot.

Says thanks to God for what you’ve got.

Photo credit:Pixabay

DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn.  She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”

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The Seamstresses in my House-Part 6

17 Apr

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Previously, I mentioned the old sewing machine that my parents gave me as a wedding present.  It was an old treadle machine that had the treadle removed, and a motor attached. 

Credit:Pixabay

It had a long bobbin (which I had never seen before then!).

Credit Google Search and Treadle Lady

But it was quite efficient in any case, and I was able to sew many garments on it.

While I don’t have pictures of all the garments I made on that machine, I do remember some of them.  For instance, I made this “shirtwaist” dress out of cotton – perhaps a cotton blend.  Polyester/cotton blend was making its appearance about that time, and a lot of the “cotton” fabrics were that blend.  This picture shows more of the cat we adopted than my dress, but the color and style is there.  It was a work dress, for sure.

I remember making a skirt and blouse/top out of nylon jersey.  While it wasn’t terribly easy to work with, it made a very comfortable outfit to wear.

I remember making a “shell” top for Fred’s mother for a Christmas present one year.  I made it out of an off-white satin and lined it with an opaque nylon fabric.  I don’t know whether or not she ever wore it, but I made it with care, just for her.  Fred’s father was still in the U.S. Air Force at that time, and they attended many formal occasions.  I thought it might be something she could wear to one of those.

Here is a picture of my dad and myself in Albuquerque.  I am holding my niece, fresh from her bath.  The suit I have on was one that I had purchased (probably at a thrift store), but didn’t like the collar on it.  So I took off the collar and made it a jewel neckline that buttoned to the top, and wore a jeweled pin at the neckline.  It was of an acetate fabric.

This picture is of a fellow worker, Melba, who became one of my best friends.  While we are about eight or nine years apart in age (she’s older), we are quite close.  This is a dress I made out of a light green (almost chartreuse) gabardine fabric.  It was another work dress.

Here is a picture of Fred, my parents (then his parents) and myself.  I had made this top and skirt for other-than-work-or-church times.  It was a cute cotton or cotton-blend fabric, and I remember wearing and enjoying that outfit a lot.

And here’s a picture of Fred and me at Mesa Verde, Colorado.  We had made a trip to Albuquerque to visit my parents, and we went together to Colorado.  I had made this top out of cotton, and the pants out of chino.  Both were quite comfortable to wear.

And one last picture – a perfect example of what NOT to wear!  I don’t remember just where I obtained the fabric – it was a silky, acetate fabric – but that’s not the problem.  That shows me that orange is NOT my color!  Again, we were visiting my parents at Easter time in Albuquerque, and that was my Easter outfit.  Never again orange!

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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Moving On…Almost on Schedule

14 Apr

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

Our target date for our annual migration from Florida to North Carolina was April 4th. Our actual leaving date was April 6th. A two day delay is almost a record for us as we seldom leave on the planned date.

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

We managed this even with two surgeries and an emergency hospital admission for my husband. We did have to promise to return in June for medical follow ups.

Saturday, April 2nd was the annual Fox Lake Spring Craft Fair. For our area it is a pretty big event and our daughter had secured a table to sell books. Of course, I wanted to remain in Florida for that! The weather forecast was almost 100% rain and even though her table was under a large pavilion, a day of wind and rain didn’t sound good for sales. Regardless, the event was on and we went early to set up. Fortunately, there was an overseer making sure everyone was in the correct spot.

Our set up was simple. A table cloth, banner and books. I enjoyed watching the other vendors set up. It was obvious they were well acquainted with craft fairs. Most had help but the vendor next to us set up her whole table alone and did a great job. One thing I will say though, books are heavy, even with a hand cart.

Vendors spaces were not limited to the pavilion. There were a lot of vendors on the outside. I didn’t realize how many until we were leaving for the day. I was too tired to take pictures of them. I did snap these pictures early in the day of a few vendors set up close to the entrance of the pavilion.

Besides my daughter there was another local author there, Jay Heavner. I bought two of his books a few years ago and was hoping he would be there. He writes murder mystery novels set in our county. When people stopped at our table we would ask what type of books they enjoyed. If the answer was murder or mystery, we told them there was an author in the far corner with just what they were looking for. On a side note, since people are moving to Florida in record numbers, his books give a local’s perspective of Florida. Check him out.

I walked around looking at the different crafts for sale. Man, there are some talented people in the area! I was drawn to two of my favorite things, quilts and wreaths.

A man stopped by our table carrying what looked like twisted wire. And that is exactly what it was. Twisted aluminum wire made into art by a retired electrician. Our cousin, Roger, is a retired electrician and I promptly took a picture and emailed it to him with the text, you can do this!

As the day progressed we kept checking our phones for the hourly rain forecast. Little by little the expected rain time pushed further out. With each delay we said, “thank you, Jesus.” The event was supposed to end at 4 pm. Around 2:30 the skies took on a threatening locker and some vendors began packing up. At 3 pm, we decided to pack away most of the books and leave one or two of each title on the table. We were making ready for a quick departure. Hauling books in the rain would not be fun. My daughter scoped out the vendor parking field and found an empty space next to the paved road. I don’t know how she did it, but she maneuvered her car into the space. When we decided to pack and run, we wouldn’t have to pull the cart in mud.

Being in the pavilion recalled to mind memories of church picnics there as well as the year the high school Band Parents association ran the kitchen for the MacDonnell Douglas company picnic. It was a hot, hard work, fund raiser, but when you have kids, you do these things. It was mind boggling that 32 years had passed since then.

The crowd, which had been quite heavy began to dwindle as the clouds became heavy and dark. We decided it was time to go. We almost made it home when the skies delivered the promised rain. Once home, we left the books in the car and made a dash for the house. We were tired, hungry and happy that the day went well.

The following day, my husband and I celebrated our 51st wedding anniversary. We are blessed. And now we are settling into our home in the North Carolina mountains. The hummingbirds arrived two days ago and unfortunately a bear did too. My neighbor captured a photo on his game camera of one a bear sniffing around their children’s trampoline. The neighborhood is hoping that if we all bring in our bird feeders at night the bear will move on. It’s kind of creepy seeing a bear on the porch like we did last year. He made multiple visits.

The following day, my husband and I celebrated our 51st wedding anniversary. We are blessed. And now we are settling into our home in the North Carolina mountains. The hummingbirds arrived two days ago and unfortunately a bear did too. My neighbor captured a photo on his game camera of one a bear sniffing around their children’s trampoline. The neighborhood is hoping that if we all bring in our bird feeders at night the bear will move on. It’s kind of creepy seeing a bear on the porch like we did last year. He made multiple visits.

I'm a winner

After my retirement, I decided to re-learn the canning and preserving skills I learned from my mother but hadn’t practiced for twenty years. I titled the blog Old Things R New to chronicle my experience.  Since then I have been blessed to have six other bloggers join me, DiVoran Lites, Bill Lites,  Judy Wills, Louise Gibson, Janet Perez Eckles and Melody Hendrix

In addition to blogging, I work as the publicist/marketer/ amateur editor and general  “mom Friday” for my author daughter, Rebekah Lyn. I also manage her website, Rebekah Lyn Books  

My 2022 goal is continue to use my love of photographs and words to be an encourager on social media.

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Our Trip to Spain- Part 5

13 Apr

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Day 5

Today was a free day to relax from our tour of Ronda and do anything we wanted.  So, after breakfast DiVoran and I joined a small group for a leisurely walking tour down the beach promenade from our Bajondillo to visit the old La Carihuela fishing village. We found the stroll along the seaside promenade to be dotted with many small hutlike outdoor chirinquito (beach bars) and restaurants and the atmosphere was very relaxing.  The town of La Carihuela is a typically quiet old Spanish fishing village that has carried on this tradition for hundreds of generations.  The people in the small shops, and the street venders in the area, were friendly and allow us tourists to enjoy browsing without being hounded to buy something.

Photo Credit: https://7across.com/resorts/Spain/LaCarihuela-Playa-Sol

Our group made its way down the seaside promenade another mile or so to visit Benalmadena.  This is an old traditional Spanish town located on a hill that rises from the sea and is known for its Castillo de Colomares Monument (dedicated to the life and exploits of Christofer Columbus), Tivoli World amusement park, the Sea Life Aquarium, and the Teleferico Benalmadena (Cable Car).   DiVoran and I were tired and didn’t take the cable car ride but waited at the bottom for our friends to return.  We discovered we had passed up an opportunity to take in the incredible view from the top of the hill.  We said we would do it another time, but never seemed to get the time.

Photo Credit: https://trip101.com/article/hings-to-do-benalmadena-spain/

I believe most of our group were pretty much worn out by the time we returned to the Bajondillo and were ready for lunch at the cafeteria and a long nap.  After that great nap, the rest of the day was spent browsing the market and the many shops there in Torremolinos.  We opted for having dinner in one of the ‘approved’ local restaurants. We enjoyed a traditional Spanish meal (can’t remember exactly what) and finished it off with a dish of Tocino de Cielo (similar to Mexican flan).  Yumm!

Photo Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/Tocinillo_de_cielo/

After that delicious meal and the walk back to the Bajondillo, we relaxed in the patio (the sun was getting low by now and the patio was shady and cool) with some of the other guests from our group, and exchanged experiences of the day.  It is amazing how different the interests are in a group who came on this tour of the Costa del Sol, but not all for the same reasons.  By the end of this interesting interlude, DiVoran and I said our good-nights, and were ready for a good night’s rest.

Photo Credit: https://www.zoover.com/spain/torremolinos/bajondillo/apartments/

—–To Be Continued—–

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 64 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing.  He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville.  Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.

One of Bill’s favorite Scriptures is:  John 10:10

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From the Pit to Salvation

11 Apr

My Take

DiVoran Lites

My bones burn like wood in the fire.

My days dissipate like smoke.

I listen for Christ’s voice.

And flee to the heights of God’s Light:

Photo Credit:Pixabay
Photo Credit:Pixabay

DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn.  She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”

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The Seamstresses in my House-Part 5

10 Apr

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

I remember there were four of us girls from church and high school that hung around together.  (The following pictures are all from our Senior year books)

That’s me!
Shirley

Jerrie
Nan

I don’t remember if ALL of us tried to wear clothing alike, but I do know that one of the girls and myself tried to be “twins.”  For instance, I remember that we both made gray corduroy full-circle skirts (lot of crinolines underneath the skirt!), that we paired with a soft pink sweater, and probably a scarf around our neck.  I just wish I had a picture of that, but I don’t!  Shucks!  In any case, I was learning how to make a skirt with a zipper in the side.  Zippers were difficult for me to sew in place.  It was a learning experience, for sure.

Here is a picture of Fred and me in 1960 – but before our wedding.  I was to sing at the wedding of one of my best friends – one of those four friends I mentioned above.  I made the skirt out of some kind of shimmery, iridescent fabric, and paired it with a soft knit top.  I was getting better at those zippers!

While I didn’t sew this particular suit, it became one of my favorites.  It was a soft gabardine fabric, with a white cotton collar.  Here is a picture of me in that suit, along with my fiancé Fred.  

Here is a picture of me kissing my new father-in-law goodbye, just before Fred and I left for our honeymoon.  Apparently Fred’s mother and sister thought that was hilarious!  I had made my going-away outfit, out of a cotton-blend fabric, in light aqua.  The dress itself was smooth fabric, while the jacket was textured, but in the same color.  It was quite comfortable to sew and wear. 

 Here is a black-and-white picture of Fred and me as we were ready to leave the church.  I regret now that we didn’t have those pictures done in color rather that black-and-white.

While we received many gifts for our wedding, one of the things that I enjoyed the most was from my Mother and Dad – my own sewing machine!  I don’t know where Mom found it, but it was an old treadle sewing machine which had been made into an electric machine.  Someone had removed the attachment that made the treadle, but attached a motor to it.  It was so old that it had a long bobbin,

Credit Google Search and Treadle Lady

rather than the round ones we use now.

Credit Google Search

I had never seen one before, but I certainly learned how to use it – and use it I did in the several years following.

Credit Pixabay

Following our wedding, we made our way from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Fort Worth, Texas, where Fred was to attend Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS).  We eventually stayed there for four years.  That sewing machine came in quite handy during that time.  And also during that time, Fred’s Dad had been assigned to Hawaii as a Chaplain.  He took quite a few trips during his assignment there, and on one of his trips, he purchased some beautiful Thai silk that he sent to us.  I made this dress from that Thai silk, and wore it many years, in comfort.  It was a lovely fabric.

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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10 Steps to Turn Chaos to Calmness (Part 3)

9 Apr

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Reblogged April 9, 2022

April 1, 2022

We look at the world and see unrest, turmoil, and threats to our future. But all inside us changes when we look at the power of God. His declaration that states He has the victory and He has the path to our triumphant life.

Here are the last three of ten steps to follow and reach that kind of life.

As a reminder, the first six steps were: (1) Make God a priority, (2) Set a time and place for you and Him alone, and (3) consider the rewards, (4) Choose, not the good, but the best, (5) Plan ahead when you’re away from home, and (6) Stop to listen.

Please see the March 4 and March 18 posts to read about these steps in their entirety.

Find His presence in hectic moments.

She gritted her teeth. “I’m so stupid! I left my cell at home. Now my son can’t call me to pick him up.”

Those words echoed the same self-deprecating phrases I used when things suddenly went wrong.

Who can blame us? We’re conditioned to put the focus on the part we messed up and lament the consequences.

But it’s in those moments that God’s voice calls us to take a deep breath. And even for a minute or two, ponder on His goodness, reflect on His solutions, and declare our trust in Him.

That’s because when frustration happens, a minute in His presence keeps us from being shaken.

I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (Psalm 16:7-8)

Practice silent prayer before making all decisions.

It’s been said that we became addicted to the hurry habit. I’m waving my hand in the air because that was me. When my boys were all in elementary school, those words were repeated more often than others, “C’mon guys, hurry up. We’re already late. Hurry up and eat, we need to go. Hurry, your brother is already in the car.”

“Mommy, can Danny and Mike spend the night?”

Of course, I was probably in a hurry when he asked that question and, in my rush, I said yes. UGH! What a mistake. That was the night before a baby shower at my house.

So, from then on, the answer was, “You need to give Mommy a few minutes to think about that and then I’ll give you an answer.”

When we take a minute aside to look to God and ask for wisdom,

we avoid regrets and we rejoice instead.

It’s in that hurried kind of life that I made my dumbest mistakes.

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)

Evaluate activities.

“I think the world is crumbling on top of me,” my friend said on the phone.

How often I’ve felt that same way. And when I sought prayer, a friend gave the best suggestion ever.

“Check all the activities you’re involved in.” she said. “Is all that busyness pleasing the Lord?”

I swallowed hard. Of course, it wasn’t. In an effort to do good things, to be involved, I took on responsibilities at my kids’ school, church, the neighborhood and even my book club.

But when I reviewed the list, one by one, I scratched off what infringed on my priorities which were my time with God and my time with my family.

In order to take the right path, in silent prayer, I asked God to replace busy with blessings. And rather than choosing my own good works to do, I asked for him to reveal to me the works He planned and prepared for me.

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

End your day with a heart of gratitude.

When my three sons were small, exhaustion followed me to bed every night. And when morning came, the race started all over again.

Adding to my chaos, stress would chase me mercilessly. It did because I focused on the chores to be done and on the responsibilities as a mom and wife.

But when my pastor challenged us to embrace an attitude of gratitude, the stress disappeared.

I chose to take moments to stop my day and give thanks for whatever came to mind. When my sons began to quarrel, I thanked God because they were healthy. When I wiped the kitchen countertop for the umpteenth time, I thanked God we had food to prepare on it.

When dishes piled up, I thanked God I had hands and energy to get them done.

And before closing my eyes at night, a few moments of gratitude for all the good in my life filled my thoughts.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

God’s blessings come in health, opportunities, provision and the fullness of life. But we empty that fullness when, in the busyness, we neglect quiet moments before Him.

Let’s Pray

Father, thank You for giving me the path to live with a calm heart filled with gratitude and expectation of good and beautiful things. In Jesus’ name.

Janet

______________________________________

I invite you to dance with me—celebrating one of my books, “Contagious Courage: A 30-Day Journey to Overcoming Stress and Anxiety.” Get your copy HERE and tell your friends, too.

Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE.

CLICK HERE for a one-minute inspirational video.

Looking for a speaker for your upcoming event? A great speaker makes the difference between a so-so event and one that shines with impact. I invite you to view one of my two-minute videos HERE.

Please share: Feel free to share Janet’s posts with your friends.

Janet Eckles Perez

Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR

Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.

www.janetperezeckles.com

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Our Trip to Spain-Part 4

8 Apr

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Day 4

This morning after breakfast our group boarded the bus for an all-day tour to Ronda.  On the way, our Program Director gave us a running account of the countryside we were traversing, with its history, culture, and points of interest.  Much of the scenery was picturesque as we passed thru some of the smaller towns such as Churriana, Alhaurina, Alozaina, and El Burgo, bordering the foothills of the Sierra de las Nieves. 

Photo Credit: https://www.hotels.com/churriana-de-la-vega-spain

Called ‘The most beautiful city on earth’ by Earnest Hemingway, Ronda is located on a high plateau, with the city’s ‘medieval’ part (El Ciudad) being separated from the ‘modern’ part (15th century) by a 300-foot plunging river gorge (El Tajo).  The ancient stone bridge (Puente Nuevo), which took 34 years to build, was complete in 1793, and links the two parts of the city.  The view from the bridge is amazing.

Photo Credit: https://handluggageonly.co.uk/

Ronda has archaeological roots dating back to the Neolithic Age.  Said to have been settled by early Celts somewhere around the 6th century BC, but most of the present-day city is of Roman origin from about the time of Julius Caesar.  Conquered and ruled by Islamic nations from roughly the 1st century BC to the 16th century AD, most of the city’s older edifices are mainly of Moorish architecture.   Located on the far side of the Puente Nuevo (new bridge), we visited the Convento de Santo Domingo.  Established in 1485, it was the seat of the Court of the Inquistion for many years.  Renovated several times over the years, it is said to be one of the oldest and most visited buildings in Spain.

Photo Credit: https://owaytours.com/en/ronda/convent-of-santo-domingo/

Then our group visited the ‘Plaza de Toros de Ronda’ which is advertised to be the oldest bullfighting ring in Spain.   Built in 1784 the bullring is host to the famous annual ‘Corrida Goyesce’ (bullfight) which draws thousands of bullfighting fans from the world over to the famous event.  There is also a bullfighting museum in the building.  The ‘Museo Taurino’ holds over two hundred years of famous bullfighting regalia and artifacts, including a collection of original weapons used by the Real Maestranza (circa 1686) in Spanish Wars. 

Photo Credit: https://barbaraathanassiadis.com/rondas-feria-goyesca-andalusia-spain

Our group stopped for lunch at an ‘Approved Restaurant’ there in Ronda, where we were served a delicious Spanish meal (I can’t remember what it was) as we were serenaded by musicians singing some of their favorite Spanish songs. 

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

Our return trip was by a different route, and we again enjoyed the ‘Travel Log’ given to us by our Program Director.  We appreciated the knowledge he displayed while explaining points of interest, the local culture, and the people.  We passed thru the small towns of Casarabonela, El Chenil, Zalea, Cerralba, Casapalma, and Miralmonte, as we traveled thru a large portion of the Guakalhorce Valley.  Then I saw this huge bull standing on the top of a hill and thought, ‘I wonder why that bull is running free so close to the road’?  I took this photo and asked our Program Director about the bull.  He told us it wasn’t a real bull but was actually a 14-meter (45 feet) silhouette called Toro de Osborne (The Osborne bull).  The one we saw today was one of 90 bull silhouettes, placed in various outdoor locations throughout Spain.  The story we were told was that the silhouettes had started out as a ‘Brandy de Jerez’ advertisement in 1956, but over the years, has become the unofficial national symbol of Spain.

Photo Credit:Bill Lites

 We saw some people riding horses off in the distance, and it was just recently that my wife, DiVoran, informed me that some of the horses we saw on our travels that day may have been Pure Spanish Andalusian Horses (PRE) which have been bred, and shown throughout the Iberian Peninsula, for many centuries.  We arrived back in Torremolinos in time to wash up for our dinner at the Cetus Restaurante there at the Bajondillo that evening.

Photo Credit: https://www.cortijoelchenilcaballos.com/

After dinner DiVoran and I took another leisurely stroll thru the quiet streets of Torremolinos to walk off that great meal and to enjoy the wonderfully pleasant evening activities of the town as it settled in for the night.  It was a cool and very relaxing stroll, and just what we needed to end an exciting day on the Costa del Sol.

Photo Credit:Bill Lites

—–To Be Continued—–

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 64 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing.  He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville.  Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.

One of Bill’s favorite Scriptures is:  John 10:10

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